Bathed in the soft afternoon light of Hotel Zoo Berlin, Yulia Pavlen moves quietly through the suite while Berlin rushes past outside. The atmosphere feels suspended, somewhere between intimacy and distance, performance and real life. Inspired by the emotional stillness ofĀ Lost in Translation, the setting becomes more than just a backdrop. The hotel room turns into a temporary in between space, cinematic, melancholic and personal. Online, hundreds of thousands of people know Yulia through viral moments, sharp humor and an internet presence that often feels larger than life. Away from social media, she appears much quieter. Calm, observant and reflective, she speaks about identity, self perception and the strange experience of being highly visible online while still feeling largely unknown.
Between scattered looks, half opened curtains and long conversations, the interview moves through themes like loneliness, ambition, femininity and growing into yourself under the constant gaze of the internet. What emerges is not just a portrait of a digital generation figure, but of a young woman trying to separate her inner world from the projection people place onto her. Inside the stillness of Hotel Zoo Berlin, Yulia Pavlen feels less like an online persona and more like someone caught in a moment between who she was, who people believe her to be and who she is slowly becoming.
- Phone case:
- Ritter
- Earring:
- Rideaux
- Bra:
- Vintage
- Jacket:
- SamsĆøe SamsĆøe
- Tights:
- CourrĆØges
- Skirt :
- Rideaux
Can you tell me about the moment you started to feel comfortable being seen, not just online, but as yourself?
I actually donāt really know if people truly know me. Everything you see online or on social media is never real life. I would say Iām different in real life because Iām a quieter person. Iām calm and less emotional, but Iām also funny. I canāt live without jokes or fun. So I donāt really know if people know the real me yet.
- Dress:
- Diesel
- Belt & Pearls:
- Vintage
How would you describe the version of yourself you are becoming right now?
I would say Iām becoming more confident in what Iām doing. I feel like Iām growing into a stronger personality. Iām always observing people around me and thinking, āI like this about them, I want to learn that. ā I try to collect all the qualities I admire in others and turn them into something that benefits my own personality.
What role does fashion play in how you move through the world?
For me, fashion is about feeling comfortable, but not in the sense of staying in a comfort zone. I need to feel confident. Fashion is a really powerful tool for showing that Iām a confident person, a confident woman. It allows me to show myself and express how I feel without being afraid.
- Top:
- SamsĆøe SamsĆøe
- Cardigan:
- Maiami
- Skirt:
- Ritter
- Bangles & Stockings:
- Stylists Own
- Shoes:
- Scarosso
How has leaving Ukraine changed the way you understand home, identity, and belonging?
Leaving Ukraine made me realize how deeply connected I am to my home. I feel very different from many of the people around me now, especially Europeans and the people I meet. Itās not a bad thing, itās just a different mentality, a different way of growing up and seeing the world. Because of that, I actually feel even more connected to Ukraine now. I donāt think that feeling will ever change because itās something very deep inside me. It shapes the way I think and who I am. Even though Iām no longer there, it still feels like the foundation of my personality.
- :
- Spoon:
- Sabre Paris
A lot of people discovered you through TikTok, especially through these spontaneous beauty moments, like doing your make-up in the U-Bahn. What do those moments mean to you beyond the hype?
Honestly, hype doesnāt really mean much to me because you never know what will suddenly become popular. I canāt focus on views or engagement. What I really care about is expressing my ideas and expressing myself honestly. If something gets a lot of attention, it just feels like a little bonus. I never want to fake anything or create something only for attention.
- Necklace Sticker:
- Julie Kegels
- Bra:
- Vintage
- Dress:
- Diesel
- Socks:
- Stylists Own
When something becomes viral, people can quickly turn you into a character, an aesthetic, or even a meme. How do you protect the real you within that?
I think itās because I know myself very well. I know who I really am, and I know where Iām āplayingā a role online. Social media makes it very easy for people to say harmful things or project their own feelings onto someone else. But it never really affects me because I know what is true and what comes from other peopleās insecurities or projections. If someone feels jealousy or negativity and puts that onto me, I understand that itās not really about me. Itās their own problem, not mine.
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![Cozy bedroom with a purple velvet chair, small table, and a soft rug. A pair of shoes is placed on the floor, creating a calm, intimate atmosphere.]()
- Shoes:
- Maison Martin Margiela
- Shoes:
- Scarosso
What makes you feel truly free in front of a camera?
I think I feel most free in front of a camera when I donāt overthink myself. When I stop trying to control how I look and just allow myself to exist in the moment. For me, itās about trust ā trusting the people around me, trusting my own energy, and not being afraid to show emotion or vulnerability.
- Dress:
- Diesel
- Belt and Pearls:
- Vintage
- Shoes:
- Jimmy Choo
- Jacket:
- ChloƩ
-
![Kein Alt-Text hinterlegt.]()
- Shoes :
- Scarosso
- Stockings:
- Stylists Own
- Skirt:
- Ritter
What would you like these images to say about you at this point in your life?
I feel really grateful for everything that has happened in my life and for the person Iāve become. Iāve changed so much over the past five or ten years, and I know Iāll probably be a completely different person again in another five or ten years. But I think Iāll look back at this version of myself with a lot of love and gratitude. Step by step, through mistakes, experiences, and everything life brings, Iām learning to truly love the person Iām becoming.
- Choker:
- Stylists Own
- Top:
- Ritter
- Pants:
- Rideaux
- Shoes:
- Jimmy Choo
If you think about the future, what do you look forward to most? Do you have a specific dream, goal, or moment you hope for?
Right now, I always tell myself that I want to be healthy, mentally and physically. I want to be happy in whatever I do. I want to feel successful in what Iām doing, no matter where life takes me. Of course, I could say something like walking a certain runway or achieving something very big, but honestly, thatās not the most important thing to me. What matters more is being happy with what Iām doing, even if itās something smaller or something that doesnāt bring huge recognition. Iāve realized that when you donāt have your health, nothing else really matters. So for me, the most important thing is to stay healthy and happy, and of course, the safety and health of my family is crucial for me as well. Everything else will come the way itās supposed to. I donāt really know yet what my future will look like.
- Earring:
- Stylists Own
- Top:
- COS
- Pants:
- Ritter
- Tights:
- Falke
- Shoes:
- Prada
- Shoes:
- Maison Martin Margiela
- Shoes:
- Jimmy Choo